The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near
Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance
Coordination (NEA/AC) offers Federal assistance to groups and
individuals striving to bring about positive change in the Middle East-North Africa
region.
The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Local Grants Program
seeks projects that build links between and among citizens, civil society,
government, and the private sector, and are responsive to emerging
opportunities at the local level in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
The program supports projects that align with U.S. foreign policy goals and
promote U.S. interests in the region, enhancing stability, and increasing
prosperity across MENA.
Objectives
A key objective of the Local Grants Program is
developing the capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs) to
effectively and efficiently manage U.S. federal assistance. Applications to
this NOFO should address and clearly demonstrate how project-specific
objectives and activities contribute to the local grants program objectives
outlined below. Working primarily on the local level, and using an
evidence-based approach, at least one of the following objectives MUST be
achieved:
- Develop and promote locally
designed solutions to environmental, economic, or social problems.
- Foster inclusive economic
growth that reaches marginalized communities, youth, and women.
- Encourage citizens’ engagement
in participatory governance and decision-makers’ willingness to work with
citizen groups and civil society organizations.
- Increase civil society’s
representation of the needs of citizens through collective action on the
local level.
- Work towards gender parity in
politics and/or economics.
- Increase youth engagement in
meaningful economic and civic activities.
- Foster innovative approaches
and solutions.
Country-Specific Projects
In addition to the overarching MEPI objectives
and requirements identified above, projects must meet country-specific project
priority areas as outlined below:
- Algeria
- Country Problem Statement: The official youth unemployment rate in Algeria
again exceeded 29 percent in 2020. Combined with the social and economic
impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and ongoing political and economic
transition, the situation will likely worsen absent economic reform as
the number of those under 30 (who already comprise nearly 70 percent of
the Algerian population) increases.
- Country Priorities
- Support for Civil Society:
Enable CSOs to reach out to both constituents and local and national
government counterparts in order to increase citizen participation in
decision making processes and governance.
- Economic Growth: Increase
youth employability through job placements and/or the creation of
effective and sustainable businesses. Applicants should have business
sustainability plans and established relationships with employers,
demonstrated through a letter of intent or formal partnership.
- Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Five to Ten (5-10)
- Estimated Total Funding
$500,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$100,000
- Estimated Award Floor $50,000
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-36 months
- Eligibility Requirements
- Eligible applicants include:
Local civil society organizations, non-profit organizations, community
groups, non-governmental organizations, professional associations,
private sector organizations, and universities based in Algeria, which
have obtained all required registrations.
- Priority will be given to
applicants who have previously implemented or managed international
awards in an amount of at least $50,000.
- Bahrain
- Country Problem Statement: A country with a young National Assembly and
civil society, Bahrain’s CSOs are building experience and credibility,
but need assistance in strengthening the role CSOs play in addressing
environmental, social, and economic issues. Current economic and fiscal
challenges may limit access to social programs and economic growth
opportunities, particularly for youth, and could inhibit future job
growth.
- Country Priorities: As civil society matures in Bahrain, CSOs need
support for new approaches and solutions to solving Bahrain’s development
challenges. CSOs currently operate in environmental, social, and economic
fields, but could benefit from additional support.
- Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Two to three (2-3)
- Estimated Total Funding
$200,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$100,000
- Estimated Award Floor $50,000
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-36 months
- Eligibility Requirements: Partnerships will be made with officially
registered organizations, professional associations, private sector
organizations, or academic institutions.
- Jordan
- Country Problem
Statement: Jordan
continues to face both external and internal challenges, including
regional geopolitical instability, rising unemployment rates, and the
ongoing COVID19 pandemic, which impacted the economy through business
closures and restrictions, and put pressure on the country’s stressed
healthcare, and educational sectors.
- Country Priorities
- Inclusive Economic Growth.
This goal is in line with Post’s Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) goal
of increasing self-reliance through broad-based inclusive economic
growth, which contributes to long-term stability.
- Cross-Cutting: Youth. This
priority is in line with Post’s ICS goal of promoting stability and
security through inclusive economic growth and employment. To improve
economic opportunities for youth and help more women enter the
workforce, there is a need to change attitudes surrounding what are and
are not “acceptable” jobs, and cultivate innovative solutions for the
digital age.
- Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Two to five (2-5)
- Estimated Total Funding
$500,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$200,000
- Estimated Award Floor
$100,000
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-36 months
- Kuwait
- Country Problem
Statement: Kuwaiti
women are highly educated and enjoy many aspects of constitutional and
civil rights; however, they are not widely represented in government or
private sector leadership and are not treated equally under the law, such
as citizenship transmission to children.
- Country Priorities: The Embassy encourages applications that target
building the CSOs capacity to effectively interact with government
officials to promote the following goals:
- Kuwait citizens, and
particularly Kuwaiti women, develop greater civil participation in
government and increase confidence in political institutions.
- Civil society organizations
and/or private sector organizations to help develop local solutions to
labor rights violations and trafficking-in-persons, marginalized
populations in Kuwait, and/or gender equality
- Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Two to three (2-3)
- Estimated Total Funding
$200,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$100,000
- Estimated Award Floor $50,000
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-36 months
- Eligibility Requirements
- Registered nonprofit
companies, registered or unregistered civil society organizations, and
societies can all apply to MEPI local grants.
- It is preferred that
applicants have existing private and government sector partnerships,
like MOU’s or ongoing partnerships.
- Lebanon
- Country Problem
Statement: Enduring
continued misgovernance and a severe economic crisis, the Lebanese people
are disillusioned by their government’s inability to respond to the
multiple challenges that fuel the crisis and undermine the country’s
stability.
- Country Priorities:
- Foster inclusive economic
growth: Reduce poverty and help the private sector recover from the
deteriorating financial environment to help stabilize the Lebanese
economy.
- Encourage citizens’
engagement in participatory governance and decision-makers' willingness
to work with citizen groups and civil society organizations to advance
needed reforms: A public informed about peaceful political participation
and civic action is better prepared to engage with Lebanon’s government
and/or political parties, including new ones, and to advocate for and
implement reforms that will forestall total collapse, spur recovery, and
put the country on a stronger footing for the future.
- Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Two to five (2-5)
- Estimated Total Funding
$500,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$150,000 for one-year awards; $300,000 for two-year awards
- Estimated Award Floor $50,000
for one-year awards; $100,000 for two-year awards
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-24 months
- Eligibility Requirements: Registered civil society organizations (CSOs),
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community groups, professional or
educational organizations, or other for-profit or non-profit groups are
eligible. Priority will be given to organizations with demonstrated
competence in the areas of focus of their proposed activities.
- Morocco
- Country Problem
Statement: Historically
heavily dependent on the strength of its agricultural sector and its key
trading partners in Europe, Morocco is diversifying its industrial base
and its export partners and working to make the country a financial hub
and trade gateway to Africa for its Western trading partners.
- Country Priorities:
- Foster inclusive economic
growth: Proposals must focus on creating jobs, promoting economic
advancement, and bridging the gap between the education system and the
job market.
- Encourage citizens’ engagement
in the electoral process or participatory governance and
decision-makers’ willingness to work with citizen groups and civil
society organizations: Proposals must be innovative, sustainable, and
actively support increased dialogue between citizens, civil society, and
local government with the goal of effectively addressing the needs of
the community.
- Funding
Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Three to five (3-5)
- Estimated Total Funding
$500,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$150,000
- Estimated Award Floor $50,000
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-36 months
- Eligibility
Requirements: Applicant
organizations must be registered with the Government of Morocco. Each
proposal may not exceed the maximum of $150,000. Projects may be focused
on one geographic area or several, and may include the cities of Dakhla
and Laayoune and surrounding areas.
- Qatar
- Country Problem
Statement: Although
highly educated and constitutionally-vetted to enjoy almost all civil
rights aspects, Qatari women are not adequately represented in government
or private sector leadership.
- Country Priorities
- Strengthening Women’s
Political Participation: The
anticipated 2021 Shura Council elections present an unprecedented
opportunity for Qatari women to become more politically engaged.
Proposals should develop innovative programs to engage and strengthen
the professional skills of women to participate in the decision-making
process and make use of the upcoming elections as an opportunity to
partake effectively in political life.
- Strengthening Women and
Children’s Protection Against Abuse and TIP: They welcome proposals to professionalize civil
society organizations, focused on supporting victims of abuse and/or
countering TIP, in order to build organizational and communication capacity
to connect effectively with decision makers and citizens.
- Strengthening Women’s
Economic Participation: They
welcome proposals that promote female entrepreneurship. Proposals should
focus on developing innovative programs to engage and strengthen the
skills of women to join and sustainably succeed in the business
community.
- Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Two to three (2-3)
- Estimated Total Funding
$200,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$100,000
- Estimated Award Floor $50,000
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-36 months
- Eligibility Requirements: Project applications are open to all Qatari
civil society, nongovernmental, and private organizations. Applicants
should have prior experience working in Qatar on the issues their
projects address.
- Saudi Arabia
- Country Problem
Statement: A recent
roundtable discussion with several influential women entrepreneurs in
Jeddah highlighted the challenges women face as they begin
entrepreneurial projects, particularly the need for high-quality, basic
information targeted at local conditions, and the need for ongoing
mentorships with experienced entrepreneurs.
- Country Priorities: Saudi Arabia plans to continue to develop the talents
of young Saudi women, invest in their productive capabilities and enable
them to strengthen their future and contribute to the development of the
economy.
- Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards
Two to three (2-3)
- Estimated Total Funding
$200,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling
$100,000
- Estimated Award Floor $50,000
- Estimated Length of Project
Period 12-36 months
- Eligibility Requirements: Post would prefer proposals that include a U.S.
and a local partner, include a plan to provide high quality
entrepreneurship training in Arabic, attuned to local conditions, provide
access to mentorships and exchanges between U.S. and Saudi participants,
and have a clear vision for long-term sustainability.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include
local civil society organizations, non-profit organizations, community
groups, non-governmental organizations, professional associations, private
sector organizations, and universities based in the Middle East and North
Africa region, specifically Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Morocco, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
- NEA/AC is committed to an
anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities. NEA/AC
welcomes applications irrespective of an applicants’ race, ethnicity,
color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
They encourage applications from organizations working with underserved
communities, including women, people with disabilities, and youth.
Post Date - 25-May-2021